New patients

{ what to expect }

In Latin, “doctor” means teacher.

We don’t just treat patients, we teach patients.

The term Doctor was used for many centuries before there were any universities, or degrees. It was used to refer to an especially learned person who was authorized and qualified to teach a particular subject such as medicine, philosophy, theology, law, logic, history, etc. Dr. Pelton chose to obtain his PH.D. prior to getting his M.D. because he had a strong desire to help his patients understand their disease.

Your Checklist

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Fill out the patient forms ahead of time.

New patients are required to fill out general patient and insurance information. To save time on the day of your appointment, fill these out ahead of time and bring them with you. Download patient forms here

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Arrive 15 minutes before your appointment time.

Our goal is to see you as soon as possible after you come into the office. We ask that all patients arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment time. This gives our front office a chance to get any necessary information and stay on schedule.

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Bring insurance, referrals, and co-pay.

We accept most insurance and will do our best to answer your questions concerning your insurance policy. When you arrive, we will ask for a copy of your insurance card and a picture ID. Dr. Pelton is a sub-specialist, and many insurance plans require a referral to see him. Please call your Primary Care Provider and make arrangements to get the letters as soon as you schedule your visit with our office. Your co-pay is also due at the time of your visit.

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After your appointment, set up your patient portal.

Your patient portal is where you can schedule appointments, ask questions, and pay your bill online. Go to the portal page and create an account to get started.

Frequently asked questions

We’ve answered the most common questions asked by new patients, below. If you still have a question that we haven’t answered here, feel free to reach out to us using the links at the bottom of this page.

Oculofacial surgery (aka Oculoplastic Surgery) is a subspeciality of Ophthalmology. After a 3-year residency in ophthalmology, oculofacial surgeons do another 2-year fellowship to learn plastic surgery of the face. We deal with all types of eyelid problems, tearing problems, facial trauma, eye socket problems as well as other issues of the face. We do not do cataract surgery, glaucoma surgery, retinal surgery or glasses and contacts.

Dr. Pelton graduated from Hendrix College with honors as a chemistry major. He then spent a year in Austria on a Fulbright Fellowship studying Medical Biochemistry before moving to Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. After 2 years of medical school at Vanderbilt, Dr. Pelton took a leave of absence for 4 years to get a Ph.D. in Cell Biology. He then went back to finish medical school and then started a residency in Ophthalmology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX. He then took a 2-year fellowship in Oculofacial Surgery in Salt Lake City before moving to Colorado Springs. He is board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and is also certified by the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons (ASOPRS) as well as the American College of Surgeons (FACS). See his full C.V. here (link).

After checking in and filling out the “new patient” forms at the front desk, a nurse will escort you to an exam room and start collecting your history and checking your vision. After she finishes, Dr. Pelton will come in and perform a more comprehensive examination of your problem. If you need a surgical procedure, we’ll start the paperwork to make that happen. The scheduler will discuss times and dates that work best for you. In most cases, we can do a minor procedure that same day.

If you have insurance, please bring your insurance card, so that we can find out your level of benefits. If you have any CT scans or lab tests, please bring those. Also, if you received our new patient packet beforehand, please bring any completed paperwork that you have filled out. If not, don’t worry. You can fill out all the necessary paperwork when you get here.

Quality care takes time. Delivery of health care is an inherently difficult thing to schedule – patients often book appointments for “small” problems that turn out to be much more complex and complicated than they thought; other doctors and emergency rooms refer patients that need immediate attention; some patients have a long list of questions that they need answered, etc. Dr. Pelton takes pride in trying to give each patient the time that they need to get their problem addressed. We apologize for any longer-than-expected wait but please know that when it is your turn, Dr. Pelton will spend as much time with you as you need to get your problem addressed. Most new patient visits require you to be in the office for 1-2 hours depending on the issue.